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The Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism Development in Sierra Leone: a Pilot Study

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The Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism Development in Sierra Leone: a Pilot Study European Business & Management 2020; 6(6): 128-135 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ebm doi: 10.11648/j.ebm.20200606.11 ISSN: 2575-579X (Print); ISSN: 2575-5811 (Online) The Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism Development in Sierra Leone: A Pilot Study Alpha Thullah 1, *, Hongna Liu 2 1College of Tourism and Cuisine, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin City, People’s Republic of China 2Business School, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin City, People’s Republic of China Email address: *Corresponding author To cite this article: Alpha Thullah, Hongna Liu. The Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism Development in Sierra Leone: A Pilot Study. European Business & Management . Vol. 6, No. 6, 2020, pp. 128-135. doi: 10.11648/j.ebm.20200606.11 Received : October 31, 2020; Accepted : November 16, 2020; Published : November 27, 2020 Abstract: Tourism is a fast-growing industry, and one of the most vital sectors that drive the economic growth of a nation. This current work investigates the socio-economic impact of tourism in Sierra Leone. Therefore, the objectives of this research are to (1) analyze the contribution of tourism to national employment and poverty alleviation (2) analyze the contribution of tourism to the local economy (3) assess the impacts of tourism on destination regions in Sierra Leone. A total of 130 respondents from different works of life are targeted for this study. Results revealed that tourism have provided employment opportunities for many people especially youths. However, the nature of employment ranged from full time to part time. Tourism has also help many locals to establish business enterprises to meet the needs and demands of tourists. This has contributed to local economic growth in most part of the country. Both positive and negative impacts of tourism were identified on this current study. The positive impacts included cultural exchange between tourists and local people, infrastructural development in tourist destination communities or areas, and local currency flow. Soaring crime rates, cultural invasion, high cost of living are some of the negative implications of tourism identified by respondents. Keywords: Development, Impact, Socio-economic, Sierra Leone, Tourism Statistic from the 2018 Sierra Leone Integrated Household 1. Introduction Survey reveals that income poverty is still high, especially in Tourism is seen as a poverty alleviation, economic rural areas [5]. The World Bank Group in 2018 outlined that diversification and inter-cultural strategy in most regions of in order to prevent the Sierra Leone economy from exogenic the world. It had been described as one of the fastest-growing shocks, the country must consider diversifying its economy industry in terms of revenue generation and employment and create poverty-alleviating jobs outside of agriculture and opportunities [1]. The revenue generation emanating from the mining sector [6]. Thus, the Government of Sierra Leone international tourism is roughly 1.5 trillion USD annually [2]. has considered tourism as a priority sector for economic Many countries have recorded huge socio-economic benefit diversification. Sierra Leone is well fit to become an from the tourism sector, and thus have prioritized tourism as international tourism destination due to its excellent climate, a useful tool to spur economic growth. For example in beautiful beaches and parks, rich culture and nice people Tanzania, an earlier report suggested that the contribution of forested mountains and among others [7]. The tourism tourism in revenues was US$2.1 billion (i.e. 4.7 percent of industry has experienced major growth in recent years. The total GDP), provided 470,500 jobs, contributed total export development of an international tourist’s destination will earnings of approximately US $2,446.6 million, and US$ 1.2 help to solve some of the problems of job scarcity to certain billion investment in 2016 [3]. Also in Thailand, foreign level. Local businesses such as hotels, airlines, and earning from tourism resulted in the creation of transportation will create new jobs and generate income for approximately 2.4 million jobs in 2015 [4]. the country which is drivers for economic growth [8]. Therefore, there is a need for the government to diversify the 129 Alpha Thullah and Hongna Liu: The Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism Development in Sierra Leone: A Pilot Study country’s economy in a sustainable way through investment 2. Materials and Methods in tourism [9]. Because tourism is a booming industry in the world, the 2.1. Description of Study Area industry has been at the core of a wide array of research. For The current study was conducted in Freetown, Bo, Kenema, example, a recent study assessed resident perception of Makeni and Portloko in Sierra Leone. Freetown is located on tourism in Iran [10]. Another study used a gender approach the Western Area of Sierra Leone, and it is the capital city of to assess the perfection of people on tourism’s impact and the country. Further, Bo, Kenema, Makeni and Portloko are employment opportunities in the tourism industry in Jordan the regional headquarter towns for the Southern, Eastern, [11]. Furthermore, the economic and social ramifications of Northern and North-East regions respectively. These areas tourism on destination regions have been a thematic area of were taking as representative sample of Sierra Leone increasing scholarly investigation worldwide. For example the considering hospitality industries and other touristic attraction relationship between tourism and economic growth in India centers are found therein. has been reported [12]. A new study has investigated the relationship between tourism specialization, economic 2.2. Study Population growth, and human development in Poland [13]. Gnanapala and Sandaruwani studied the socio-economic impacts of The populations targeted by the study were civil servants tourism development and their implications on local from the Ministry of Tourism, Hotels and beach communities in Sri Lanka [14]. In a similar vein, Khandare owners/managers, staff from the Local District Council, and investigated the social and cultural impact of tourism National Revenue Authority (NRA), Statistic Sierra Leone development in Thailand [15]. (SSL) and other stakeholders who have a stake in the Africa is a home to myriad natural and cultural resources hospitality industry. The number of participants in the study that are of high tourist attraction, as noted by the increasing were: Mankeneh community (10 respondents), Manonkoh figures of tourist’s visits to the continent in recent years. The community (10 respondents), Mayoloh community (10 continent has recorded a handful of studies on tourism. For respondents), the Ministry of Tourism (7 civil servants), example, the socio-economic and environmental impacts of hotel/beach managers (7 respondents), Local District tourism development have been well documented in Council (7 staff) the Nation Revenue Authority (7 staff), Botswana [16]. An earlier study evaluated the economic Statistic Sierra Leone (7 staff), and 65 stakeholders from the potential of tourism in Tanzania [17]. In Ethiopia, the impact tourism industry in Sierra Leone who were randomly of tourism on livelihood diversification outcome was recently selected. A total of 130 respondents were considered for this reported [1]. In Sierra Leone, studies on tourism are rare as study. the industry has not attracted a great research interest. 2.3. Data Collection Methods However, there are few existing studies identified in the wider literature. For example, Betts investigated the role of 2.3.1. Questionnaires Approach tourism in Sierra Leone’s development [18]. Shakya Questionnaires were administered to respondents who conducted a competitiveness assessment on tourism in Sierra could not read and write, and who have no access to the Leone [7]. Kongoley-MIH investigated the factors that inhibit internet. On the other hand, the questionnaires were sent to the development of tourism in Sierra Leone after the civil war respondents via Google form for respondents who could read, [19]. The study of Jackson and Tamuke used Box-Jenkins write, and have access to the internet. This method helped the ARIMA models to predict tourists’ arrival in Sierra Leone authors to reach many people and got responses from places [20]. To the best of our knowledge, there is no existing they could not reach. literature on the socio-economic impact of tourism in Sierra Leone. This study therefore seeks to fill in the literature gap 2.3.2. Interview in the tourism industry in Sierra Leone. The overriding aim of Close ended questions were used during the method, and it this study was to access the socio-economic impacts of proved to be very efficient as respondents were able to give tourism development in Sierra Leone. The specific objectives accurate answers on the topic. Also structured interviews were were to (1) analyze the contribution of tourism to national conducted for respondents that made it easy to compare and employment and poverty alleviation (2) analyze the evaluate respondents’ answers in a most objective and fair contribution of tourism to the local economy (3) assess the way. impacts of tourism on destination regions in Sierra Leone. 2.3.3. Data Analysis This study is important in the sense that it will help the Google form has the ability to analyse responses in real government of Sierra Leone to formulate and review policies time. However, since we used both Google form and on socio-economic issues around the tourism sector. printed questionnaires, the final analyses was done using Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and international Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The partners, local businesses and potential investors will find this software was used to draw tables, descriptive ratio statistics, work meaningful as it will present relevant information to and charts. potential investors in Sierra Leone. European Business & Management 2020; 6(6): 128-135 130 3. Result and Discussion the tourism industry have low-grade jobs such as cleaners, drivers, cooks, watchmen, with only a handful holding 3.1.
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